Major League Baseball is currently experiencing its best attendance marks in seven seasons, but the Los Angeles Dodgers have seen a slight dip in average attendance compared to last season.
The average attendance of 26,927 across all of Major League Baseball marks the best results through the end of April for the league since 2017, and marks a 0.9% increase overall from the 2023 season.
MLB is also seeing upward trends across the board for National viewership, but most importantly they are making significant gains in the 18-34 demographic. Baseball’s reputation as a sport that has grown out of touch with the younger generation has been a well known and debated topic at this point.
Their Let The Kids Play campaign in 2019 was the start of MLB attempting to change their image in the eyes of the public and it continued with recent rule changes that were aimed to help the sport gain a wider appeal.
It is too soon to say at this point whether this recent success is sustainable or how much of an impact the increased viewership in the 18-34 market is having, but it is good to see things trending in the right direction.
While the good news for MLB is that average attendance is up, the Dodgers’ 2024 average attendance is slightly down from their 2023 averages. The Dodgers have the greatest stadium capacity of any MLB team, if you ignore the Oakland Athletics who slightly outpace them when they open up Mount Davis, an upper deck of 10,000 seats that are usually covered with a tarp.
This increased capacity has been what has allowed the Dodgers to claim the top spot every year since 2013.
The Dodgers are once again leading the league in total and average home attendance in 2024. However, their current home attendance average of 45,658 is slightly less than their 47,371 average last year.
It is nothing overly concerning, but it is a bit of a head scratcher as to why. Ticket prices and food costs may be part of the reason as the club increased prices all around prior to the season.
Dodgers and other teams providing the blueprint for good attendance
At the end of the day, there is a pretty obvious blueprint for MLB owners to improve their attendance issues, and that is invest money into your team. Looking at the top ten in terms of average attendance, there is a direct correlation to the top payrolls in MLB.
Not only are fans more likely to attend a game when their team puts a good product on the field, but also an owner builds trust with their fanbase when they show a willingness to invest in the team.
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